Here's Opal!

Hey everyone!  My name is Opal and I’m an American Bulldog mix and I’m deaf, just like my sisters but that doesn’t stop me!  I can do anything a hearing dog can do.  I love to snuggle on the sofa and sit too close when you have food!  I come when I’m called but that’s not too much of a problem because I don’t let my humans out of my sight.  I think that’s something that all deaf dogs have in common.  We don’t like waking up in a room where there were people and now there are none.  I get scared when I can’t find my humans!

I got my family in September 2011 and I couldn’t be happier!  I was in the Gwinnett County, GA Animal Care and Control Shelter and had been there about two weeks when my Mommy and all of my sisters came down from Richmond, VA to adopt me.  One of the animal control officers has a soft spot for deaf dogs in his heart and he kept me away from the PTS list until I could be adopted.  He is hard of hearing and his wife is deaf.  They teach American Sign Language at the local collage so I was really lucky to have come to this shelter.  Luckily he was friends with a great dog advocate on Facebook and she put me on there and my Daddy saw me and put me on Mommy’s page.  Mommy fell in love with me when she saw me and after a phone call to the shelter Mommy drove to Georgia AT NIGHT to get to the shelter in the morning to meet me!  I was really skinny and I’ve had at least two litters and I think people were using my puppies as bait dogs for fighting.  Sometimes I miss my puppies and I hope they’re okay.  I met my Mommy and I loved her when I saw her just like I loved my sisters.  I was shy at first but I always wagged my tail and Mommy called me “wiggle butt”.  Mommy adopted me on the spot and then we were on the way to my forever home!  I didn’t have a name when I was at the shelter but someone on Facebook started calling me “Gwinnett” but when Mommy saw me, she named me Opal.  On the way home my sisters told me about everyone in the family including Daddy.  I was scared about meeting this Daddy person because my sisters said he’s loud so I thought he was mean but when I met him, I knew he wasn’t mean!  He’s just a big softie and loves us all!  Daddy calls me “Itty Bitty Pitty”!

A few days after getting home I went to the vet for a check up and the vet told Mommy and Daddy that I had heart worms.  I didn’t know what that was but Mommy and Daddy looked worried but the vet said that I would be okay.  I had an x-ray and the worms aren’t that bad.  The vet is treating me with heat worm preventive and antibiotics and we’re not going to use the vaccine for heart worms even if the vet had it because the vet says that sometimes doggies die because the worms die too fast and we can choke on them.  The vet said I had to stay quiet and calm and not go on any long walks and no dog parks while I was being treated and I’m doing all of that the best I can.  When I first got to my new house I slept a lot I think because I was able to relax and I knew I wouldn’t get hurt.  Now I’m coming out of my shell and I play some with my sisters but since I’m older, I have to let them know whose boss.  Even though I’m the newest doggie I’m the oldest at about three years old and I tell my sisters where my place is.  I growl a bit when they get too close and at first I had to bark at them but now they know my personal space and no one can get too close when I’m snuggling with Mommy and Daddy!  Because I’m feeling better, I run and play with my sisters even though I’m supposed to keep calm but I can’t help it.  I love them all and they all love me…even when I growl at them when I’m snuggling.

I was really skinny when I came home...I weighted about 25 pounds and you could see my ribs and spine!  Since coming home, I’ve gained a few pounds and my coat is shiny and soft.  Like my sisters, every time I get a bath I seem to get more spots!  Nea gets her spots on her fur but I get my spots like Pickles, they are on my skin.  Daddy makes our dog food out of raw chicken, brown rice, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, green beans and kale.  He adds extra vitamins and egg shells to make us grow big and strong.

I’m really glad I've found my family and I love them very much.  I’ll never forget the day I left the shelter for what I know will be the last time ever!

Why Do I Do It?

Why do I have four deaf dogs?  Because I can't take a fifth one right now.  Why did I even choose a deaf dog?  I didn't choose Pickles, Nea, Piglet or Opal...they all chose me.  Why do I make their food from scratch?  Because the vast majority of commercial dog food isn't worth the material used for the packaging.  Why am I on Facebook so much?  I'm trying to get the word out about deaf dogs and I'm trying to get the ones in the shelters adopted.  The deaf dogs in rescue I'm not so worried about because, although that may not be their forever home, they are safe and loved with fosters.  The ones in the kill shelters are the ones that concern me the most.  I wish I could bring them all home but I can't.  I wish that I could play with them all but I can't.  I wish that I could love them all and I do but I can't hold them and tell them.

Did this all start with Polar?  Sorta.  Polar was the first time that I stepped outside my comfort zone and fought for something that didn't relate to who I was.  It wasn't about Mac the husband, Mac the parent, Mac the police officer or Mac the friend.  It was about Polar and what was going to be done to her through no fault of her own.  Did it really start there?  No.  It all started in 2002 when we bought an American Mastiff puppy from a breeder (I didn't know any better back then) in Ohio and named that puppy "Saint Brigid's Madred".  When we were looking for names we wanted something Gaelic or Scottish and wanted it to mean "monster" because we knew she was going to be big.  We looked everywhere and found the word "madred" (pronounced mah-drid) which meant "monster" (although I can't find that reference now).  That was perfect!  Saint Brigid has many meanings to Donna and I and they are intensely personal.  Click on the link for more information on Saint Brigid.  Maddie, as she became know,n was our child.  We loved her and cared for her like doting parents do but we did make mistakes.  I spoke harshly to her and even spanked her.  I got mad at her and yelled.  I know now that bad dogs come from bad owners and although I didn't consider myself as a bad owner, looking back...I was.  Maddie was a great companion but I took her for granted and didn't treasure that friendship I had with her.  She loved me, unconditionally, even when I didn't deserve it.  There were times when I thought she was too much and wanted to give her away but I realized that I made a commitment to her and knew I couldn't do that.

Maddie began to get older and was less active then she started to not be able to get up without assistance.  We were told that this breed of Mastiff only lived seven to nine years and we had had her for about six so her slowing down did not concern me although it should have.  You see, when she was a puppy, we fed her a commercial brand from a national dog food maker available at your local pet store.  Then later, it became too difficult to go to the pet store because it was another thing on the errand list so we started buying dog food made by a national dog food maker available at the grocery store.  I was to find out years later that I would have been better off feeding her the bag it came in.  

In September of 2009, we had to help Maddie get up because she wouldn't stand on her own and when she would walk, her spine was twisted so she would walk sideways.  Still, I didn't take her to the vet.  I just thought she was getting older and the end was coming but did I play with her any more that I did before?  Not really.  In November 2009, I had to help her up and down the stairs because she couldn't walk them.  Did I spend any more time with her?  Not really.  Later in November I had to pick her up in my arms and carry her outside several times a day to go potty.  Did I love her anymore?  Not really.  In fact, I was mad at her because "she" was like this.  

I took her to the vet and wanted the vet to fix her.  The vet took some x-rays and we discovered Maddie had arthritis in her upper back causing her not to be able to walk.  I took Maddie to another vet who began treatment with Chinese herbs and acupuncture and after one treatment, I saw a little improvement and I was hopeful that she would get better.  I started feeding her a raw diet, like the vet said to and she looked like she was doing better.  Through scheduling problems, I wasn't able to get another appointment with the new vet for three weeks and I thought that would be okay but as it turns out, it wasn't.

On December 10, 2009, I took Maddie outside and it had been raining.  Maddie was still big (about 140 pounds) and while carrying her, I misjudged the steps, missed the last one and almost dropped her but didn't and sat her down roughly.  When I went to pick her up, she bit me and I knew in that one instance she was in pain and the things I was doing for her weren't for her...they were for me.  She was hurting and I know she was embarrassed because she had to be carried out to go potty.  I knew in that one instance, her time had come and I had to do what I knew...in my heart was the right thing for her.  The next day, I visited with a friend and we talked about what had happened and what had to be done.  From there, I went to the vet and made the arrangements for Maddie to be euthanized at my home the following day and then I left work.  I went home, held Maddie and didn't let her go.  Friends and family came to the house and loved on her like never before.  We gave her an old blanket, that smelled like us and covered her up.  My daughter gave her a stuffed toy and she slept in the living room.  I cried myself to sleep that night.  I knew that this was my fault and there was no way for anyone to talk me out of this.  I waited too long, fed her crap and neglected her.

On December 12, we all gathered around Maddie and loved on her all day.  She had the best day of her life!  She knew, in that one day, that she was loved the way she loved.  Friends and family came and sat with her and played with her and she had the best time.

Later in the afternoon, the vet came and then...it was time.  I almost sent her away.  I just couldn't do it but the vet and Donna told me it was the right thing to do.  It was time to let her go.  

I held her in my arms and the vet gave her a shot that made her sleep.  The vet said she was sleeping and wouldn't feel what would come next.  I had a friend read the following Masonic prayer which is given at a certain time during the raising of a Master Mason:

THOU, O GOD! knowest our down-setting an our up-rising. and understandeth our thoughts afa off. Shield and defend us from the evil intentions of our enemies, and support us under the trials and afflictions we are destined to endure, while traveling through this vale of tears. Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. He cometh forth as a flower, and is cut down; he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not. Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee; thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass: turn from him that he may rest, till he shall accomplish his day. For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease. But man dieth and wasteth away; yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he? As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up, so man lieth down, and riseth not up till the heavens shall be no more. Yet, O Lord! have compassion on the children of thy creation; administer them comfort in time of trouble, and save them with an everlasting salvation. So mote it be. Amen.

With that, the vet administered the medicine that took my Maddie from me.  She was still and silent but she didn't hurt anymore.  She wasn't in pain but I was.  The guilt and pain I felt, and feel to this very day, is still very real and some days almost all consuming.  I didn't do enough for her while she was alive but I was able to give her the greatest gift of all...the gift of freedom.  I know she'll be waiting for me at the Bridge and before we cross, I know I'll have to answer for a lot of things I did and didn't do to her. 

It rained all weekend.  I believe the Heavens were crying for me.  I couldn't drink enough on this day to forget what happened and I couldn't drink enough the next day to forget what happened the day before.

We had her cremated and the company was very professional the day she died as they were when we picked her up on Monday.  I bought her a little table at Target before we picked her up so she would have a place to stay forever.  No matter what, this is her forever home!  To this day, she's in the same spot.  She even has her own Christmas tree (the little Charlie Brown Christmas tree) and I know she loves it very much.

I believe Maddie is watching and I believe that she is guiding my path when it comes to these deaf dogs...all deaf dogs.  I think that Polar and Maddie are great friends.  I will never again feed my dogs food wherein the bag is better for them than the contents.  Never again will I get mad at my dogs because they did something bad because I know now that it is the fault of the owner.  Never will I hit my dogs.  I will never take for granted the feel of a wet nose of a sloppy kiss.  I know some people are thinking why didn't we get another Mastiff.  Well, it's because of the life span.  Large breed dogs typically lead shorter lives and I couldn't have another dog for seven years and watch them die.  Pickles chose me!  I didn't choose her!  She started it all and will always be "Daddy's girl".

Lately, I have come to realize that I spend way too much time on things that shouldn't matter and not enough time on the things that do matter.  I forgot to listen.  I forget to speak softly.  In dog terms, I'm doing too much barking and not enough tail wagging.

I forget to tell people that I love them.  Don't you forget to do that!

Dad! What's a Hurricane?!

This will be the first storm weathered by the Pittie Trio!  While Dad was busy trying to get the generator running and Mommy was buying food and whatnot, the girls were in the crates getting some nap time.  Mostly because we were all busy scurrying about and some because Pop (my dad) was there and we were working on the generator.  But, alas, no generator.  That will teach me to leave gas in the tank for a long time.  A new carburetor is in order, I think.  So, we have plenty of canned food, dry food and dog food so what else could we ask for?  Oh yeah, beer!  But Daddy has to work all weekend so he couldn't drink the beer anyway.  

We're all talking about Hurricane Irene when Nea comes up and says, "Daddy, what's a hurricane?"  "Well Nea, it's a big storm that has a lot of wind and rain and it lasts for a long time." Nea looked worried.  "What's wrong, Nea?"  "I'm scared, Daddy!  The wind could blow the house away!"  "No, Nee Nee, we're going to be okay" I said.  "Well, what about the rain?  It could wash us down the hill!  I'm scared, Daddy!"  "Nea, we're going to be okay.  This house has been here for 120 years and it's still standing.  We'll be fine."  Nea still looked worried and her tail was tucked almost under her stomach.  "Nee Nee, what's wrong, Baby?"  "I'm still scared, Daddy!"  With that, she crawled into my lap and she was shaking.  Of all three of my Deaffies I believe Nea to be the strongest and the most brave but I guess that's when she can see the danger.  Remember, the storm still hasn't made landfall and is, at least, 12 hours away from us.  I think she can feel the storm's approach and maybe the drop in pressure.  Maybe she senses the way we're all running about buying and fixing things.

Nea couldn't get any closer to me unless she was in my shirt and she still looked worried!  "Nea, what's wrong?"  "Daddy, I'm still scared.  What if something happens?  What if we get hurt?  Who's going to take care of you and Mommy if Pickles, Piglet or me get hurt?"  What am I supposed to say to her at this point?  Mommy and I will be at work in large buildings so we're pretty safe but what about them?  The house will be fine.  All of the windows are shut, the patio furniture has been put away and there is plenty of food.  "Well, Nee Nee, I know that you will be okay!  I've been through hurricanes before and it's really going to be okay.  If I didn't think you guys would be safe then I would have just packed up and left.  That's why Matt, Liz and the Brown Dogs are coming up. They weren't safe in Norfolk because the hurricane is coming right through there!"  Wow" said Nea!  "I guess I never thought of that.  You and Mommy wouldn't let anything hurt us."  "No, Nea, we wouldn't.  I told you that when I brought you home from the shelter.  That's why we drove all the way to New Jersey to get you.  We didn't want you to be alone anymore and we wanted to love you!  I wouldn't let anything happen to ANY of you!"  "Okay, Daddy" Nea said.  "I know you love me but I'm still scared."  "Nea, please don't be scared.  If you're scared, you're not able to react; you're frozen with fear.  I want you to be frightened.  If you're frightened, you can still act.  You can help watch the Brown Dogs and help with Piglet and Pickles.  Do you understand?"  "I think I do" said Nea.  "It's okay to be frightened but not scared because I can still protect people and help out.  I can do it, Daddy!  I know I can!"  "I know you can too, Nea!"  And with that, Nea was up and playing.  I could tell that she was still nervous but she was playing with everyone else.

"Daddy!  What's a hurricane?" asked Piglet and Pickles.  "Well, girls, it's a big storm with lots of wind and rain.  Why?"  "We heard you talking to Nea about it but then we heard everything was going to be okay!"  "It will be girls.  We'll be okay!"  "Okay, Daddy!"  And off they went.  Pickles and Piglet are just wired different.  They don't seem to get nervous like Nea but if everyone was the same, wouldn't life be boring?

If you're reading this, I hope you've battened your hatches!

Introducing Piglet!

That's right, folks!  You may have seen it on Facebook first but here a some information on Piglet who is the newest member of The Deaf Dog family!

So when did this happen, you ask?  Well, just two nights ago but let me back up a bit. Donna came to me one day and said, "I want to get dogs for our dogs!"  I was wondering what kind of dog would go good with a Pittie but we decide on looking at some French Bulldogs.  I know, Piglet is not a Frenchie but I'm getting there.  I contacted someone on the Yahoo Deaf Dog Network and asked if they knew anyone that had any deaf Frenchies and within a couple of hours, I received an email from a woman in Colorado that had one!  A few days later we talked and she said deaf Frenchies are pretty rare as the breeders do not breed a known deaf female and if there is a deaf pup, that female is fixed but they do not put the puppy down if it is deaf.  The pups are sold for a few hundred dollars (far below the going price from a reputable dealer) when they are discovered.  [On a side note, it seems that these breeders are not a asshatish about deaf puppies as the Dalmation Club of America that says that deaf pups are to be put down.  The last sentence on the deafness position page says, "With the enormous supply of unwanted dogs in this country, there is no need to preserve dogs with problems such as deafness."  Please see Dalmatian Club of America's position on deaf dogs for further information.  Don't get me started here as I'll have another entry about them later.]  Anyway, she said she would keep an ear out for any.  Another email exchange with a breeder ended up in the same way with kind of "I don't have any as I fix the ones that breed a deaf pup but I'll keep my ear out".  Okay, so no big deal there.

We were looking again through www.petfinder.com to see what other deaffies might be out there when we came across Bully Paws (a Pit Bull rescue out of Fredericksburg, VA) who had several!  One was Betty who looked very sweet and sounded great but was about six years old and we thought that might be a little too old for Pickles and Nea as they're just over a year.  The other was Polly.  Polly was found in King William County just wondering the road and was taken to the animal shelter who has a policy of not adopting Pit Bull or Pit Bull types back into the county but rescues were welcome to take them so Bully Paws came in and took her out.  She's been in foster care for about four months and was reported to be a happy-go-lucky silly girl!  Well that will fit right in with Pickles who is the same way!  Polly came over to our house on Tuesday for a visit and home inspection but as you can see, she's not going anywhere.

Polly came into the yard and after some sniffing and walking around everyone was ready to go and that's when playing started.  They all were jumping around, chasing each other and just having fun!  Nea spent some time asserting her dominance over Polly but all in all everything went really well.  I was surprised.  Not because I thought anything would happen but when you add another dog you don't know what might happen. After a while there came a "can we keep her!?  Can we keep her!?" from the porch.  I know what you're thinking, "isn't that sweet that the kids want to keep her".  And this is indeed sweet but the person that was saying all of this was DONNA!  Well I know that there's no use in arguing with her so Piglet stayed the night but I knew she was never going to leave.  We went to PetsMart and bought some things she would need (crate, treats and whatnot).  Donna bought her and the Pickles and Nea a toy and they all got a new stuffed animal from Target (which Pickles and Nea have already destroyed)!  Piglet is a good name for this girl as she topped the scales at 64 pounds!  On the Bully Paws sight, they said she was 35 pounds so she gained a few pounds and has some mange but those are problems that are easily fixed.

Piglet's first night went pretty well with no fights but plenty of playing then everyone got a good night's sleep.

Welcome to our family Piglet!  I know you'll love it here!

An Adventure at the River

So, today we went to the Pony Pasture to see if the doggies wanted to swim.  I'm pretty sure that Pickles likes the water and to swim but Nea.........not so much.  We went to the Pony Pasture late in the evening and there were a fair amount of people there which surprised me.  Out of the car and down to the river we went.  First, were walked along the gravel path and down to a little clearing then into the water.  Nea jumped right in then stood there!  I think she really didn't know what she was doing and when she figured it out she froze.  But then, she walked around a bit and seemed to enjoy herself............until..........she stepped in a hole and had to swim for it and she was a pretty good swimmer!  She was a natural!  The only problem is that I was scared that Nea wouldn't swim and I went to get her and I almost fell in!  I was up to my knees and that wasn't a problem but then I almost fell.  The water felt great but I had my phone in my pocket and since I'm not independently wealthy, I decided I didn't want to drown my phone!

We got out and walked further down the patch to another clearing and got in the water again but this time, no one fell in.  As we were leaving, along came a Schnauzer NOT on his lead!  Nea did fine with him but where was the owner?  Well, apparently, around the bend of the trail.  We walked along then the owner called the Schnauzer and he went away.  Remember that we were in a city park and there is an ordinance that says all dogs will be on a leash at all times.  Hmmm........

Walking down the path further, Nea and Pickles saw the lightning bugs.  "Dad!  What's that!?" Nea said.  "Those are lightning bugs, Nea.  Their butts flash with that greenish light"  "Dad" Pickles yelled, "they're freaking me out!"  "It's okay, guys.  There's nothing to be afraid of" I said.  "Okay, Daddy."  We walked a bit further and when we turned back, they saw the deer!  "Dad!!  What's that!?  It looks like a big, tall dog!"  "Pickles, that's a deer.!"  "Oh" said Pickles, "that scared me!"  "Dad!  There are those lightning butts again!"  "Nea, they're not lightning butts, they're lightning bugs!" I said.  "Well, whoever named them, named them wrong!" Nea said.  "I'll make a note of that, Nea."  "Hey, Dad?  Does my butt light up when I'm not looking at it?  You know, like those lightning butts?"  "No, Nea, you're butt does not light up!"  Wow!  The stuff that those guys think is just too funny!

We continued on and the rest of the walk was uneventful as there were no more deer and Nea knew what lightning bugs were and was secure that her butt didn't light up!  We headed back to the car and on home.  Those guys had a great time at the park and they like to ride in the car so a good day was had by all!

Sorry Polar. We Failed You.

As you can guess, Polar did not make it through her ordeal.  She was killed by Chesterfield County last week after a "thorough" investigation.  Uh huh.  The outcome in this case was a forgone conclusion and there was no way to change it but I had to try.

I say Polar was killed because she was.  By all public accounts, this incident was a tragic, unfortunate accident.  Even the medical examiner said the death of the child was accidental but that didn't matter.  In their press release, the Chesterfield County Police Department said that Polar was euthanized but let's consider the word "euthanasia" for a moment, shall we?  Wikipedia defines it as:

[Animal euthanasia (from the Greek meaning "good death")] is the act of putting to death painlessly or allowing to die, as by withholding extreme medical measures, an animal suffering from an incurable, esp. a painful, disease or condition.  Euthanasia methods are designed to cause minimal pain and distress. Euthanasia is distinct from animal slaughter and pest control, which are performed for purposes other than an act of mercy, although in some cases the killing procedure is the same.  In domesticated animals, this process is commonly referred to by euphemisms such as "lay down", "put down", "put to sleep", "destroyed", or "put out of its/his/her misery".

I don't know if anyone knows, because I didn't until later, that Polar had hip dysplasia and had one hip corrected. She was in pain and on pain medication for the other hip. There was no indication that Polar was in enough pain or discomfort that she should have been "put down". This was revealed just a few days before Polar was killed. Again, I say killed and that is what I mean. Polar did not meet the conditions that would would have led to her being put down humanely. So let's consider, for a moment, why she was "put down". Was she put down because she was vicious? Well, according to the Virginia Code Polar did meet the definition of a vicious dog. This section says that if a companion animal causes the death of a human then it is vicious and should be put down and that a judge orders the animal to be put down. Okay, that's the code and I see the Commonwealth's point but let's consider a few facts. One, there is no evidence that the child was mauled. The child suffered one bite to the head that caused cerebral edema that caused death. [Note: Only in passing am I going to mention that the child was taken to Chippenham Medical Center and not the area's level one trauma center, VCU Medical Center.] Two, there is no evidence that this matter was ever taken before a judge for a hearing so the judge could decide whether or not Polar should be put down. For those of you that may not know, there is such a thing as "case law" in the Commonwealth. The judge, after hearing all of the facts, could have decided that Polar was a dangerous dog which is a lesser degree of dangerous animal and all of the provisions of that code section could have been followed and Polar could have lived her life in a caring and loving home. Three, there was no evidence that Polar ever bit a person before this incident. In the human criminal court system, a person's criminal history or lack thereof, is considered before sentence is imposed. Polar did not have this luxury. Polar had no one to speak for her in front of a judge because the case didn't get there. I would like to believe that if a judge heard the case, there may have been a different outcome. At the very least, there would have been an "independent trier of the facts" to hear the merits of both sides.

A good friend explained to me that if you owned a dog you could take that animal, healthy or not, to a vet and have the animal put down! Companion animals are property and can be disposed of at any time. Herein lies another problem...Polar's owners signed her over to Chesterfield County and based on my previous sentence, you can see the problem. Since Chesterfield County owned Polar, they could put her down at any time WITHOUT having to take the case in front of a judge. But you would like to think that since Polar was such a high profile case, the County would have taken the case in front of a judge thereby adding legitimacy in their decision to put her down but there is no evidence that they did that and if they did, there was no court date made public so that anyone with a dissenting opinion could have been heard.

We had a deaf dog rescue willing to sponsor us as a foster, under their insurance, for Polar. This agency contacted Chesterfield Police and Animal Control and told them that but it made no difference. Hundreds of emails and snail mails were sent but that made no difference. Hundreds of phone calls were made and that made no difference and I begin to wonder...what would have made a difference?

I'm sorry Polar but the very human race that worked so hard to save you in the first place let you down this time. Please wait for us at Rainbow Bridge where we'll meet and play for all time.

Saving Polar

Okay, there has been a lot of information out there about Polar and the efforts to save her and I've been bad about blogging about it.  First of all, to all 1300  or so friends on the Save Polar Facebook page:  Thank you so much for your support and efforts to save Polar.  People have written the governor, attorney general, police chief, sheriff, animal control and everyone in between in efforts to save her.  Others have made phone calls, most that went unanswered or the response is "it is still under investigation" which is okay.

On July 1, 2011, Donna made the Save Polar Facebook page and in five hours we had six friends.  While all of this was going on I was at work and Donna (my wife and not the other one) told me she set up this Facebook page to save Polar.  She was in tears on the phone and said, "please don't let them put her down!  She doesn't deserve this!  You have to fix this!"  Now, I have been a police officer more than half of my life and I operate in crisis mode.  I don't do too well in day-to-day stuff like going to the store, paying bills and whatnot but I'm extremely effective in crisis mode and THIS was crisis mode!  And besides, I cannot stand to see my wife cry.  If you know Donna, you know she doesn't cry so when she does, I take notice.  When I got home that night, I started to cross post the "Save Polar" Facebook page on every deaf dog, pitbull rescue and any other dog Facebook page I could find!  And everything took off!  Monday was a holiday and on Tuesday I spoke to a friend who was able to get in contact with WRIC and an interview was set up.  Catherine Hawley, from WRIC 8, interviewed Donna (although she didn't like it) at our house and that story aired on Tuesday night.   I then got emails from Lisa of AngelDogs, based out of California, who spays/neuters dogs and is starting a rescue for deaffies and Katrina from D2Care who rescues deaffies and offers support to deaf dog owners.  I know the Great Architect has sent these two women to me and Polar!

Later in the week, a friend (Donna Armstrong) said, "hey!  Let's have a candlelight vigil for Polar."  As much as I didn't want to do this, I knew we needed to do it.  Starting on Tuesday and going through Thursday evening, just before the vigil, we knew that Polar was going to be put down on Friday even though I was told by Chesterfield Animal Control that nothing would happen until Friday, July 15.  As you can imagine, I was really pissed, hurt, mad and whatever other emotion you want to assign to my feelings.  How dare they put her down!  At this time, there was no information from the medical examiner and the police were not talking about the investigation.  There is no way I could let this happen!  Lisa and Katrina invited me to the deaf dog Yahoo group and they posted all of this information on that group and then posted it everywhere!  At the vigil I was interviewed by Yvette Yeon of NBC12 and Angela Pellerano of WTVR 6 and the interviews went well.  Angela told me that night that Chesterfield had postponed the PTS (put to sleep) date to an unknown date.  As you can imagine, I was beside myself with joy and was in tears.  During the vigil, I read the below story:

Did you see me today? As you rushed past to the kennel with the five darling little pups - seven people already there, rescues lined up to save - Did you see me today? Did you see my eyes filled with hurt and torture - ten years of neglect and pain fro...m my life in the back yard, on a chain... Did you see me today? Did you hear the cries my heart made? Three days ago was my tenth birthday and almost ten years ago I was in that same kennel you rushed to today. I was a darling little puppy that everyone wanted... that got too big, too fast...and was sent to live on a chain in the backyard - too cold in the winter and too hot in the summer, barely a kind word spoken... I begged for attention that never came,got tossed food most days, begged for just a drink of water on too hot days, my throat parched and hurting. My dirty matted coat my only protection from the heat and cold, rain and snow ALWAYS NEEDING No one saw me then either. Then I got too messy, my cries for attention too loud ... I just got too damn old. No one saw me, and they brought me here to die. That kennel you rushed to had six puppies then... They dropped me off and took one from there to fill my spot on that rusty chain in the backyard, And I wonder... who is worse off - me or him? I still have so much love in my heart, so much to share... Did you see me today? For a brief moment you stopped, and I thought our eyes met. Was the smell of helpless death too strong for you, my pleas for help too loud? Did you see me today? Will you go home, close your eyes in slumber and recall the haunting look I gave... Will you recall what was not seen today? With the sunrise will you rush back to see? I will not be here then. Today, when the doors are locked I will never be seen again... Did you see me today?

There was not a dry eye in the group!  I found this story when I found Pickles and I cried.  Now, for all of you calling me names that I won't post here, if I hear it from your mouth, I will beat you until there is only goo left!  Since then, this whole thing as exploded!  Polar has had three news stories on local channels and two national.

Maddie, our Mastiff, brought Pickles and Nea to us and I can feel her leaning against me (Mastiffs like to lean on people) when I get tired or feel like I'm ready to give up.  I know Maddie is standing at Rainbow Bridge and is so proud.

As of today, we have 1398 fans and the page is growing every day!  The most important thing is that Polar is safe for now but we can't give up yet.  We need to keep the pressure on everyone and every agency that can make a difference.  We really want Polar to live with us but as long as she's safe, I really don't care where she lives.  All of this has come from one single statement made by Donna:  "You have to fix this!"